The man who last year was thrown off Government land opposite Barnes Corner at the junction of South Shore Road and Middle Road in Southampton where he ran a small roadside business selling lawnmowers, has taken the company indoors and doubled his profits.

Mr. John (Bojangles) Bromby has opened Bo's Landscaping Bargains on Middle Road in Warwick, just past the Giant Foods store in space formerly occupied by a video store.

The 36-year-old Customs officer runs his new store on Saturdays and spends the rest of the week delivering orders.

"This way I keep my overheads down,'' he explained. "I don't have to hire anyone.'' He admits now that when Government decided he could no longer operate his business on public land, they unwittingly created a whole list of new clientele.

"When Government kicked me off that land last summer, I moved to a vacant lot next to Giant Foods. The truth is they did me a favour. My business has doubled.'' The idea to sell lawn mowers and other home care products as a sideline business came after a trip to Florida four years ago last October. He noticed a marked difference in prices between what lawn care items retailed for in Bermuda and Florida.

"I noticed weedwhackers that were selling in Bermuda for $319 were selling for $79 there. It was the same machine. In fact, that same machine I now sell for $169.

"I don't know exactly why the prices here are so high, but merchants here probably have higher overheads than I do, and no competition, or at least less competition than in the United States.'' He's now moving several hundred machines a year and says he aims to keep his the lowest prices on the Island.

"If you show me a lower price for the same machine, I'll go lower by five percent,'' he promises.

The Sandys parish resident said his mark-up was minimal and he believed he was having a major effect on the market, creating an environment where traditional retailers would have to offer lower prices.

"I'm not getting rich on this business. On one machine I was making $39 in profit, which does not even cover the assembly and delivery.

"But consumers are getting a break. You make your money when someone calls up and orders ten.

"I've got competitors that want to cut my throat, but they must surely see that I'm working on such a small (profit) margin.'' LAWNMOWER MAN -- Mr. John Bromby's business is booming since moving to new premises in Warwick.